title: Therapeutic targeting of tumor-stroma interactions.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cancers exist within a complex microenvironment populated by diverse cell types within a protein-rich extracellular matrix. It is becoming increasingly apparent that molecular interactions between epithelial cells and cells in the surrounding stroma promote growth, invasion and spread of the tumor itself and thus represents a crucial underlying driving force in tumorigenesis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This article reviews how key interactions between tumor epithelial cells and surrounding mesenchymal and immune cells can promote tumor progression and highlights molecular elements that might represent novel therapeutic targets.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The tumor microenvironment is increasingly being viewed as a potential therapeutic target with a number of strategies being developed to disrupt tumor-stroma interactions, in order to delay or circumvent tumor progression. Targeting elements of the tumor microenvironment, or signaling pathways in tumor cells activated as a consequence of stromal interactions, may prove a useful therapeutic strategy to prevent tumor development and progression. However, given the tumor cells' ability to circumvent various therapeutic agents when given as monotherapy, the success of these agents is likely to be seen when used in combination with existing treatments.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff University, Welsh School of Pharmacy, Cardiff, UK. HiscoxSE1@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hiscox
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Barrett-Lee
authors.forename: Robert I
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Nicholson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002450:Cell Communication; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008648:Mesoderm / Q000166:cytology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059016:Tumor Microenvironment / Q000187:drug effects*